The present invention relates to a device for placing flat mailed pieces, which are delivered in an arbitrary sequence, into a sequence arranged in accordance with their shipping addresses, which can be stored in the device for a plurality of possible mailing addresses, with a number of conveying cells, which can be conveyed one behind the other along a conveying path of an essentially horizontal transfer section past a transfer device, with a feed opening provided in the transfer device, from which the mailed pieces are sequentially transferred in their arbitrary sequence in an alignment of their main plane, which is essentially parallel with the transfer direction, to the conveying cells in the transfer section along a transfer device directed to the insertion opening of the conveying cells, with a control device, which detects the association data representing the association between the individual conveying cells and the mailed pieces which were transferred to them and with a number of receptacles disposed one behind the other along a delivery section of the conveying path, to which the mailed pieces transferred to the conveying cells are selectively delivered in the sorted sequence in accordance with delivery signals generated by the control device on the basis of the association data, as well as a method which can be executed by means of it.
Known devices of this type are used in post offices for sorting mailed pieces in accordance with delivery areas. To this end, the mailed pieces are individually pulled in the horizontal direction out of a stack of mailed pieces which stand upright and are transported to a vertical conveyor, by which they are then inserted into the conveying cells from above in the transfer section. Generally, conveying cells fixed on a conveyor chain are used, which are disposed above the conveyor chain in the area of the transfer section and have an upper insertion opening for the mailed pieces. After the transfer section and following the closing of the insertion opening with a cover element, which can be changed between an opening position and a closing position, the conveying cells filled with the mailed pieces are switched into a position where they are suspended below the conveyor chain.
The association between the conveying cells and the mailed pieces transferred to them is detected during the transfer. Furthermore, the mailing addresses of the mailed pieces are usually detected during the transport to the vertical conveyor and stored in the control device. Based on this information, it is possible to generate a delivery signal for each conveying cell in the control device, by means of which the change of the cover element from the closed position to the open position is caused when the conveying cell passes the receptacle of a number of receptacles arranged one behind the other along a transfer section disposed under the collection path, which is associated with the delivery area for which the respective mailed piece. These mailed pieces then fall automatically out of the conveying cell for delivery to this receptacle.
The operation of such devices requires buildings with large spaces as well as high operating and associated costs, because the formation of stacks of the sorted material can only be done by manual night work.
It is the object of the invention to make a device of the type mentioned at the outset available, which requires less space and can be optimized in accordance with the purpose.
This object is attained in accordance with the invention in that the transfer device essentially extends horizontally and the main plane of the mailed pieces is essentially vertically oriented.
With this choice of the transfer device and orientation of the mailed pieces it is possible to transfer the mailed pieces, which are individually pulled out of a stack of upright standing mailed pieces, directly to the conveying cells without a previous transfer to a vertical conveyor, because of which shorter conveying paths are created and less space is required.
In the device in accordance with the invention, the feed device used for pulling the mailed pieces out of the stack of mailed pieces and for transferring the pulled-off mailed pieces into the conveyor cells can be constituted in a particularly simple manner in the form of a rotating conveyor belt, whose main plane is essentially oriented vertically.
An automatic reading device is usefully associated with the transfer device, by means of which the mailing addresses are read and supplied to the control device.
A particularly compact structure of the device in accordance with the invention is achieved if the conveying cells can be conveyed along a closed conveyor loop, because in that case they can be conveyed along the same conveying path for the transfer of the mailed pieces to the conveying cells and for delivering the mailed pieces to the receptacles. Furthermore, in this case the conveying cells can be conveyed in a constant direction, which can be achieved by means of a particularly simple drive.
A particularly dependable delivery of the mailed pieces to the receptacles is achieved if the delivery section extends essentially in a straight line, because then no transverse forces (centrifugal forces) act on the mailed pieces during the delivery.
For delivering the mailed pieces to the receptacles, the conveying cells can have a wall area which, responding to the appropriate delivery signals, can be changed between a conveying position and a release position, which permits the delivery of the mailed pieces. By means of this it is possible to prevent an unintentional delivery of the mailed pieces, and the operational dependability of the device can be increased.
The space required for the device in accordance with the invention is particularly small if the delivery section extends above the receptacles. With this arrangement the displaceable wall area is usefully disposed on the bottom of the conveying cells. The mailed pieces then fall automatically into the corresponding receptacle under the effects of gravity when the displaceable wall area is displaced into the release position.
The operational dependability of the device in accordance with the invention can be further increased if, in an area located outside the transfer section, in particular in a curved area of the conveying path, the insertion openings of the conveying cells are covered by a fixed covering element, by means of which it is possible to prevent the mailed pieces from being tossed out of the conveying elements by the effects of gravity.
In view of the removal of the mailed pieces, which were sorted by means of the device in accordance with the invention, it is useful that the receptacles are formed from dividing elements, by means of which the individual receptacles are separated from each other, and a removal element, which can be displaced between a receiving position and a removal position and is common to a number of receptacles, wherein the mailed pieces transferred to the receptacles are separated by the dividing elements in the removal position of the removal element. Receptacles designed in this way allow the removal of the mailed pieces from several receptacles without being hampered by the dividing elements required for the previous sorting.
The conveying cells of the device in accordance with the invention can be constructed particularly simply if they have two boundary walls, which are located opposite each other and are essentially vertically oriented in the transfer section, and the insertion openings are embodied between essentially vertically extending free edges of these boundary walls.
The mailed pieces, which were presorted by means of the above explained device, are customarily taken by the postal carriers responsible for the individual delivery areas and are sorted prior to delivery in accordance with the sequence of the individual mailing addresses on the route which must be travelled for delivery. This later sorting of the mailed pieces is very time-consuming and therefore results in a considerable delay of the delivery of the mailed pieces.